Combined coupling and draft rigging mechanism



March 10, 1942. w. T. DALTON. 2,276,168

COMBINED COUPLING AND DRAFT RIGGING MECH ANISM Filed Feb. 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 47- ZZ-J gg? Z9 7, 73

March 10, 1-942.

w. 1 DALTON COMBINED COUPLING AND DRAFT RIGGING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19, 1940 Patented Mar. 10, 1942 'i QFFIC COMBINED COUPLING AND DRAFT RIGGING MECHANISM 9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in combined coupling and draft rigging mechanisms for industrial cars and, particularly, mine cars, it being understood that the expression draft rigging is used to denote a mechanism capable of yieldingly resisting both draft and buffing strains.

One object of the invention is to provide a composite or combined coupler and draft rigging, in that all draft and bufling strains are transmitted directly from the coupler body to the draft rigging.

Another object is to provide a composite coupler and draft rigging wherein the buffing elements normally maintain the coupler in a substantially horizontal position to insure the engagement of the coupler with a cooperating coupling element of the next adjacent car in the string of cars to be coupled together.

A still further object of the invention is toprovide a composite coupler and draft rigging for mine cars wherein the coupler element is held in a substantially horizontal position to facilitate coupling of adjacent cars while, at the sametime, the coupling element is free to tilt, either ventically or horizontally, against the pressures exerted thereon by the draft mechanism. This tilting of the coupling element is advantageous in that it facilitates the coupling together of cars, even though the latter are located on a curved or uneven portion of the tracks over which they travel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a composite draft rigging and coupling structure, which is not only of exceedingly simple construction, but which is also composed of a plurality of elements associated in a form which will permit the same to be located either beneath the body of the car proper, outside the body of the car proper, or inside the body of the car proper. Application, either on the inside or under the car body proper, permits the top portion of the car body to be extended longitudinally, thus increasing its capacity.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will hereinafter be more fully described and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan View of the coupling member, the draft rigging and housing therefor being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely of the housing, as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the follower blocks of the draft rigging;

Fig. 5 is a view taken longitudinally of a pair of connected coupling elements, the female member and a portion of the cooperating member being shown in vertical section;

Fig 6 is a sectional view on the line l'? of Fig. 5;

7 is a transverse sectional view through the shank of the female member;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View on the line 99 of Fig. '7.

Generally, the draft rigging for each coupling element in the present construction is enclosed by a housing adapted to be arranged transversely of the mine car body and, as will be appreciated from the following description, this housing may be of any desired construction. In the present instance, it is illustrated as being formed from a single body of metal into a hollow, elongated casing having a rear wall Hi and upper and lower walls ll, l2, terminating at their forward edges in vertically disposed front portions i3, i4. These front portions l3, [4, are spaced apart vertically throughout the length of the housing and, to afford ample clearance for the shank of the coupler, these front portions are also cut away,

as at I 5. The ends of the housing may be closed 1 by end members 16, each of which is formed with an enlargement I! for the purpose of centering coil springs H3. The number and size of springs used may be varied and it will also be appreciated that substitutes of a resilient nature may b used inlieu of coil springs. In the present instance, the springs extend axially of the housing and, at their'en-ds remote from the end closures I 6, they abut against follower blocks I9, which blocks are formed with projections 20 for centering the springs. Thus, the tendency of the springs I8 is to yieldingly force the follower blocks 59 toward each other. As will be later described, the follower blocks are, under certain ci cumstances, forced away from each other against the pressure of the springs and, to limit this movement of said blocks, stops 2| are provided on the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls of the housing.

The male coupling member illustrated has rearwardly diverging side walls 22 at its forward end and then tapers rearwardly, as at 23, which taper- 25. This enlargement or head 25 is adapted to seat or be swiveled between the two follower blocks I 9. For this purpose, the blocks are preferably recessed on their contiguous faces with the walls inclined longitudinally of the shank of the coupling element but of circular formation transversely of the shank. Likewise, the head 25 is circular in cross-section or transversely of the shank, but formed with inclined surfaces longitudinally of the shank, so as to substantially conform to the contour of the recesses in the blocks I9. In other words, the blocks have recesses that are substantially V-shaped in crosssection, longitudinally of the coupler shank and head and of circular formation transversely of the head, and the head substantially conforms to the walls of these recesses. Consequently, the head of the male coupler is free to rotate without moving the follower blocks away from each other. By having the head on the male coupler and blocks capable of rotary motion relatively to each other, the present'mechanism is especially applicable to mine cars of therotary-dump type, in that each car can be turned and dumped sidewise individually or independently of the next adjacent cars in the string of cars.

On the other hand, the pressure of the springs [8 on follower blocks 13 tends to maintain the coupler shank in a normally horizontal position, so that the forward ends of adjacent coupling elements will be in registry with one another under normal conditions, or when the cars are on straight trackage. By having the female coupling element formed with a flared opening D at its forward end corresponding to the flaring of the surfaces 22 of the male coupling element, it will be apparent that, when two cars to be coupled are on a curved portion of the track, the tip of the male coupler, even, if it is not centered with respect to the other coupling element will, nevertheless, engage against the flared walls of said other element and be guided into coupling engagement. For this reason, the coupling elements are capable of being tilted against the pressure of springs :8. In other words, while the coupler element is normally positioned along the longitudinal center of the car, nevertheless a lateral of vertical tilting motion of the coupler will result in the inclined surfaces of the head 25 forcing the follower blocks l9 away from each other but, as the coupling element returns to its normal position, the springs l8 will also return blocks 59 to their original positions and, thus, maintain the coupler element in its normal position.

It will also be observed that the cooperating inclined surfaces of the head 25 and the recesses in blocks 19 will result in all draft and bufing strains beingabsorbed in the springs or other yieldable elements 18. For instance, under draft strains, the forward tapering surfaces of the head 25 will tend to ride up on the contacting surfaces of blocks l9, resulting in the blocks I?) being forced away from one another and compressing the springs i8. Likewise, under buffing strains, the rear tapering surfaces of the head 25 will tend to ride up on the contacting inclined surfaces of the blocks l9, so that the same action is had on the blocks l9 and springs 48. It should be added that the end closures 16 are, of course, fixedly secured in the housing, cross-bars 26 being illustrated for this purpose in thepresent instance.

Mounted on theouter front wall of the housing are blocks 21 at opposite sides of the shank 24 of the coupling element. The forward faces of blocks 21 are beveled or tapered inwardly or toward each other, substantially corresponding to the angle of the faces 23 of the coupler. In this way, the lateral tilting motion of the coupler is limited with the strains distributed over a comparatively wide area. At the same time, it renders it unnecessary to provide a solid front wall at the forward face of the housing.

Due to the ability of the coupler shank to tilt laterally or vertically, all draft and bufiing strains are properly taken care of on curves in the trackage. As has also been pointed out, forward and backward movement of the coupler, longitudinally of the axis of the shank, is also properly taken care of on straight tracks. By reason of the positions of the springs I8, or other resilient elements that might be used in lieu thereof, vertical shocks or strains caused by uneven rails are also properly taken care of.

In addition, the present composite bumper coupler eliminates the necessity of a drawbar. Also, as previously pointed out, the con struction of the housing for the draft riggingis such that the over-all length of the car body can be increased by merely extending the body portion over the bumper housing, as indicated more or less diagrammatically at 2B in Fig. 3.

The cooperating, or female, coupling member is of a construction quite similar to that of the male member. It comprises a shank portion 24 formed with an enlargedportion 25 swiveled between the follower blocks I9 which are yieldingly urged toward each other by springs l8 within the housing .19. Movement of the follower blocks iQ away from one another is limited by stops 2 I fast on the inner surfaces of housing If). Coupler shank 2 h is free to tilt in the same fashion as the male coupler but, in the case of this female coupler element, the enlargement 25 is formed with a rib 25* on the upepr and lower portions of its surface, whereby the shank 24 can have only a limited rotary motion due to the fact that the increased cross-section of the enlargement formed by the rib 25 will cause an excessive separation of the follower blocks 19 to a point where they will engage against the stops 25 before the shank 2 1 can make a complete revolution. Thus, when force is exerted on the female coupler, such as when dumping cars in trips coupled together, there is a tendency of the coupler shank to retateabout its longitudinal'axis, but the extended portion 25 referred to engages and moves the friction blocks apart under these conditions until said blocks contact the stops 2| and before it is possible for the coupler shank to make a complete revolution. It is necessary to guard against the female coupler making a complete revolution because, for one reason, it is essential that the member be held in a certain predetermined position to insure its alinement with the cooperating coupler member. In other words, the outer end of the female coupler is formed with a comparatively large opening 23 for reception of the rearwardly tapered portion 22 of the male coupler and, as said opening 23 is elongated transversely of the coupler head, as is also the coupler head 22, it is necessary that the female member be maintained in a position with the major dimension of the recess 23 disposed horizontally.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present construction will take care of all buffing and draft strains, the same being transmitted through the coupler shank while, at the same time, the relationship of the couplers-proper with the draft drigging is such as to not interfere with lateral dumping of the cars. At the same time, the relationship of the coupler members and draft rigging is such that the coupling members will always be positioned in such fashion as to insure coupling registration of the members. Again, the construction is exceedingly simple, notwithstanding the ability of the coupler members to function under all circumstances.

What I claim is:

1.- In a combination coupler and draft rigging for mine cars, a housing having an opening in the front thereof for a coupler shank, an enlargement on said shank within said housing, follower blocks engaging said enlargement and slidable transversely of said shank by tilting motion of the shank, and means yieldingly forcing said blocks against said enlargement, said enlargement and shank being freely rotatable with respect to said blocks about the longitudinal axis of said shank.

2. In a combined coupler and draft rigging, the combination of a housing, a pair of follower blocks, means yieldingly urging said blocks toward each other, the contiguous faces of said blocks having recesses therein forming a cavity between said blocks, and a coupler shank having a head portion swiveled in said cavity, said cavity being substantiall V-shape in cross-section longitudinally of said shank and substantially circular in cross-section transversely of said shank, and said head portion substantially conforming in shape to the cross-sectional contour of the cavity formed by said recesses.

3. In a combinedcoupler and draft rigging for mine cars, a housing, slidable blocks yieldingly urged toward each other in said housing, and a coupler having a shank portion swiveled between said blocks, the contour of the contacting surfaces of said shank and blocks being such that tilting movementof said shank will tend to force said blocks apart, said shank being rotatable about its longitudinal axis independently of said blocks.

4. In a combined coupler and draft rigging for mine cars, the combination of a coupler shank, an

enlargement on said shank, said enlargement being formed circular in cross-section with oppositely inclined faces longitudinally of the shank, oppositely disposed blocks having recesses in their opposed surfaces in which said enlargement is swiveled, said recesses having inclined walls substantially conforming to the inclined faces of the enlargement, and means yieldingly urging said blocks toward each other, said shank being free to tilt in any direction and to rotate about its longitudinal axis.

5. In a combined coupler and draft rigging for mine cars, a pair of follower blocks, means yieldingly urging said blocks toward each other, and a coupler shank tiltably held between said blocks in a substantially horizontal plane, said blocks being movable away from each other by tilting movement of said shank, and said shank being rotatable about its longitudinal axis independently of said blocks.

6. In a combined coupler and draft rigging for mine cars, a pair of blocks having opposed converging surfaces, means yieldingly urging said blocks toward each other, and a coupler shank swiveled between said blocks, said shank being normally held in a substantially horizontal plane by the pressure on said blocks but tiltable and movable axially with respect to said blocks, said shank having an enlarged portion engaging said converging surfaces with a camming action whereby said blocks are movable away from each other by the tilting and axial movement of said shank, and said shank being rotatable between said blocks about its longitudinal axis independently of said blocks.

7. In a combined coupler and draft rigging for mine cars, an elongated housing adapted to extend transversely of the car body, a pair of blocks slidable longitudinally of said housing, means interposed between the blocks and the ends of said housing yieldingly urging said blocks toward each other, said blocks having recess in their opposed surfaces, a coupler shank swiveled between said blocks in the recesses of the latter, said shank being normally positioned in a horizontal plane by the pressure on said blocks, and means carried by said shank cooperating with the contacting surfaces of said blocks for moving the latter away from each other under tilting and axial movements of the shank, said shank being romine cars, a pair of follower blocks, means yield-' ingly urging said blocks toward each other, a coupler shank tiltably held between said blocks, said shank being rotatable about its longitudinal axis between said blocks and said blocks being movable away from each other by the tilting and rotary movements of said shank, and means limiting the separation of the blocks to prevent said shank making a complete revolution.

9. In a combined coupler and draft rigging for mine cars, the combination of a coupler shank, an enlargement on said shank, said enlargement being formed with inclined surfaces longitudinally of the shank, oppositely disposed blocks having recesses in their opposed faces in which said enlargement is positioned, means yieldingly urging said blocks toward each other, said enlargement being rotatable between said blocks about the longitudinal axis of said shank, stops for limiting movementof the blocks away from each other, said blocks being movable away from each other by rotary motion of the enlargement, and means on said enlargement engageable with said blocks upon rotation of the enlargement for moving the blocks against said stops to limit said rotary motion of the enlargement.

WILLIAM T. DALTON. 

